It is a cold, wet, windy and exposed vineyard with absurdly steep slopes.
But even though it is much hated by vineyard workers - hence the name - Bastard Hill is one of the best sites in Australia for growing quality cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir.
Located in the Upper Yarra Valley, near Gladysdale, the 13-hectate Bastard Hill, which sits at 280 metres above sea level, has had several owners over the years but is now under the custodianship of Mel Chester and her Giant Steps winemaking team.
It was acquired in 2022 after being planted by leading viticulturist Ray Guerin in 1985 - initially to provide fruit for sparkling wine production.
Chester says the vineyard still needs "some care and attention" to reach its peak, but its immense potential is underlined by the inaugural releases as part of Giant Steps' single vineyard program. Both are stunning wines.
I tasted all the 2023 Yarra Valley wines with Chester a week or so ago, and was blown away by the way the new releases reflect the different terroirs of the Bastard Hill, Tarraford, Sexton, Primavera and Applejack vineyards.
These are not cheap wines: the chardonnays sell for around $90 a bottle and the pinots for around $100, but such is their quality they are close to being sold out.
No doubt helped by Giant Steps being named Winery of the Year in the new James Halliday Wine Companion annual, and the Applejack Pinot Noir being anointed as pinot noir of the year.
All the wines in the range are astutely crafted and sublimely nuanced.
"The 2023 vintage was one of the coldest and latest on record, helping the vineyards produce wines of wonderful purity and tension," Chester (above) says.
"I think you will notice the crystalline texture and pure voices of the chardonnays, while the pinots have wonderful fresh perfume."
I am far from the only fan of these wines, they are racking up positive reviews and show awards at a rapid rate.
Here's the line-up:
2023 Tarraford Chardonnay: Intense with pink grapefruit notes; still very taut and tight.
2023 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay: Stunning. A little softer but still blessed with very vibrant acidity. Muscularity and subtlety in the same package.
2023 Applejack Vineyard Chardonnay: Made in tiny quantities with both power and restraint. Very pure as it saw zero malo.
2023 Bastard Hill Chardonnay: What a debut! Lean, commpelling, classic cool-climate flavours for lovers of Chablis.
2023 Bastard Hill Pinot Noir: A tour de force. A wine with a delightful flow on the palate. Impressive fragrance and texture. Cellar worthy.
2023 Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir: Great length on this one with a lively line of minerality at its core.
2023 Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir: Serious power and intensity here, but also beauty and poise. Great fruit and spice.
2023 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir: Fruit forward; the biggest of the pinots with meaty elements. Glossy and grounded.
A legendary line-up. See www.giantstepswine.com.au before they are all sold out.
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